It's not a watch, but it is a beautiful timepiece ...

I've been after an JLC Atmos clock for a while. The first one I saw was in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham last year. Since then, I've discounted numerous examples on eBay and I've learnt the important of finding a well cared for clock. Service costs can also be high.

Anyway, in my searching I discovered that a keen Atmos clock collector, restorer and repairer lives down the road from us in Stoke on Trent. I made contact and, having waited a few months, he found this beautiful example. It was owned by an elderly gentleman from new who had sadly passed away recently. His son found it in the attic and the clock was purchased by Eric. He cleaned it and serviced it for me and I went to pick it up today. It dates from 1962 but is in fine fettle. I've levelled it, unlocked it and it appears to be keeping good time. Eric has also supplied a warranty on his labour costs for the next year (hopefully not required). All in all, I'm very happy with it and here are a few quick photos for your enjoyment:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...k/IMG_2206.JPG

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...k/IMG_2202.JPG

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...k/IMG_2204.JPG

Lucky fella, they really are things of beauty.

Lovely piece that. Is Eric anything to do with Timespan in Newcastle U Lyme?

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Originally Posted by simonoakey

Lovely piece that. Is Eric anything to do with Timespan in Newcastle U Lyme?

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Here is Eric's website: http://www.atmosclockrepair.co.uk

He's a lovely guy with a brilliant collection of Atmos clocks (including one with a planetary system above the clock which was very cool indeed). We had a good chat and he is clearly very knowledgeable about these clocks and how to care for them. It was great to find someone like him just on my doorstep.

Absolutely beautiful.Often wondered about one of these but know nothing about them.Are there many variations?

Craig

That is lovely, it looks like a real classic piece and in great condition.

I would be interested in the details of the restorer, as I have a French brass carraige clock that needs a full service.

Thanks

They're really interesting clocks. Here's mine from the 1950's which I've had for a few years now:


http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...psavq2gphr.jpg

To answer an earlier question, there are many variations. If you're interested, there's a book called 'Living On Air' by Jean Lebet which catalogues the history of the Atmos clock

Oh wow you really have something special there, can we see some pictures from behind and both sides ? I'd like very much to see more of the inner workings !

@Jdh1.
Excellent.Thank you,i'll take a look at that.
Is there anything standout in what to look out for on these.?(I'm guessing it will be covered in the book but thought i'd ask).A quick browse on Ebay brings a few up especially from the US.

Thanks,Craig

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Originally Posted by waiteu2

@Jdh1.
Excellent.Thank you,i'll take a look at that.
Is there anything standout in what to look out for on these.?(I'm guessing it will be covered in the book but thought i'd ask).A quick browse on Ebay brings a few up especially from the US.

Thanks,Craig

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The book is more a history of the clock than a buying guide as such. Needless to say, they are very different from other types of clock and probably need a specialist eye to evaluate. As I understand it, it works through small variations in temperature expanding and contracting gasses in the chamber and thus winding the movement. Obviously a leak in the chamber would be a major issue but I've no idea how to check for that.

Eric was telling me that the cases are coated in 24 carat gold to 3 microns (three thousandth of a mm?). They can very easily be over polished so the gilting is often damaged or worn; you will see this on many of the cheaper eBay examples. Given the little I know about the parts and servicing, I would not buy one unseen and if the provenance is sketchy.

It is lovely to see the movement working but having just set mine up I'm not going to move it again for a bit. The pendulum rotates every 30 seconds or so and Eric mentioned that if around 16 of the triple markers pass the central point in a rotation then the clock is probably working well. The pendulums of poorly serviced clocks will not rotate to the full extent, say 10 - 12 marks. This seems like a quick and easy check.

He also stressed the importance of locking the movement in a fully extended (to the right) position before moving. On mine, a 560 movement, there is also a locking screw on the underside of the clock to further protect the movement when it is being transported.

Beautiful engineering in these.
One day I would love to own one.

Dave

I love them. Enjoy it ;)

Lovely Atmos. I too had lusted after one for years and bought one, near identical to yours, about a month ago. I didn't know the info about counting the turns to check movement health, so have just checked mine. It was 15, so not perfect, but not too bad either.

Enjoy your new acquisition. I find them very soothing to watch in motion.

Cheers

Foggy

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Originally Posted by Foggy

Lovely Atmos. I too had lusted after one for years and bought one, near identical to yours, about a month ago. I didn't know the info about counting the turns to check movement health, so have just checked mine. It was 15, so not perfect, but not too bad either.

Enjoy your new acquisition. I find them very soothing to watch in motion.

Cheers

Foggy

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Thanks! I find it fascinating that something designed in the 1930s still looks so contemporary in many respects. As you say, it is a lovely thing to watch and even the kids have appreciated it this afternoon!

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Originally Posted by Omegamanic

I love them. Enjoy it ;)

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Thanks!

I've wanted one of these for some time and am waiting to live somewhere with a large enough fireplace for it to sit on!

I love these clocks. The new ones look great, but quite expensive, and I too have looked at eBay for the past couple of years, but worried about history and condition. Good to have a contact that knows about these and a possible place to purchase.

That looks very nice, I had / still have a fair collection of clocks, there all now stored away in the loft the ones I have don't really suite the house if that makes sense, well that's what the wife tells me, I used to have a few fusee movement wall clock that were very nice, sold them on as we just had no where to hang them, they were far to good to stick in the loft.

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Originally Posted by jpjsavage

Eric was telling me that the cases are coated in 24 carat gold to 3 microns (three thousandth of a mm?). They can very easily be over polished so the gilting is often damaged or worn; you will see this on many of the cheaper eBay examples. Given the little I know about the parts and servicing, I would not buy one unseen and if the provenance is sketchy.

It is lovely to see the movement working but having just set mine up I'm not going to move it again for a bit. The pendulum rotates every 30 seconds or so and Eric mentioned that if around 16 of the triple markers pass the central point in a rotation then the clock is probably working well. The pendulums of poorly serviced clocks will not rotate to the full extent, say 10 - 12 marks. This seems like a quick and easy check.

He also stressed the importance of locking the movement in a fully extended (to the right) position before moving. On mine, a 560 movement, there is also a locking screw on the underside of the clock to further protect the movement when it is being transported.

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Just trying to measure how well my clock is working on the basis of the above criteria, but as you'll see from the photo, mine doesn't have triple markers but rather a block of around a dozen lines. Are you saying that 16 markers should pass the central point (i.e about 5 blocks of three) OR 16 blocks of three. On mine, 8 of the blocks of 12 pass the central point on each rotation, which doesn't seem to fit in with your criteria at all - whichever way it is!

That is a beauty; just the model I would get if I had the chance. I'm a '62 model too but the clock is in better nick than me!

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Originally Posted by Jdh1

Just trying to measure how well my clock is working on the basis of the above criteria, but as you'll see from the photo, mine doesn't have triple markers but rather a block of around a dozen lines. Are you saying that 16 markers should pass the central point (i.e about 5 blocks of three) OR 16 blocks of three. On mine, 8 of the blocks of 12 pass the central point on each rotation, which doesn't seem to fit in with your criteria at all - whichever way it is!

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On mine, 16 blocks of 3 pass the central point on each rotation. I'm not sure how many there are in total!

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Originally Posted by Gruntfuttock

That is a beauty; just the model I would get if I had the chance. I'm a '62 model too but the clock is in better nick than me!

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Thanks! I looked out for a '69 model (my birth year) but this was too good to pass on.

Is yours signed Jaeger LeCoultre or just LeCoultre?

I have one of these, bought from David? Worthington at the Midlands Clock and Watch Fair some nine or ten years ago. I particularly wanted one with Roman numerals which I understand are comparatively rare as the majority had Arabic numerals.

It is indeed a thing of beauty and was fully serviced prior to purchase. My wife and I both love it and it wasn't too dear being <£1k.

Piece of art.

I have had one of those for about ten years, it has never stopped but seems to gain in the summer and lose in the winter, but not enough to worry about it is a 1963 model

Mine was a gift, it came from Albion clocks in South Woodford, quite by chance I also found a click guy who specialises in Atmos clocks in Kelvedon near Colchester

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Originally Posted by Jdh1

Is yours signed Jaeger LeCoultre or just LeCoultre?

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It is just signed Le Coultre & Cie on the back. Serial number is around 25xxxx which I was told dated to c.1962.

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Originally Posted by Jdh1

Just trying to measure how well my clock is working on the basis of the above criteria, but as you'll see from the photo, mine doesn't have triple markers but rather a block of around a dozen lines. Are you saying that 16 markers should pass the central point (i.e about 5 blocks of three) OR 16 blocks of three. On mine, 8 of the blocks of 12 pass the central point on each rotation, which doesn't seem to fit in with your criteria at all - whichever way it is!

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Here's the quote from the material that Eric supplied with the clock:

A healthy clock will do 14 to 16 segments and a poorly clock will do only 10 - 12. Never turn hands backwards and always make adjustments when the pendulum is at the end of the stroke. For correction of time keeping, move the fast and slow lever a small amount each time.

JLC have a lot of nice collectable clocks in their repetoir, I cant seem to remember how many I`ve got, but it's a fair few ;-)

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...G2967Large.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...psux7ks2fg.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskukq4dnu.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfybasp9r.jpg

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Originally Posted by Jdh1

Is yours signed Jaeger LeCoultre or just LeCoultre?

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I'm curious what difference does it make?

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01...48fbd90ca0.jpg

Here's a picture of mine, the plating is starting to go a little dark, however I would rather this than wear it off

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Originally Posted by adrianw

I'm curious what difference does it make?

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I don't know about clocks but JLC watches were sold in the US under the name Le Coultre from the 30s to the 70s.

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Originally Posted by adrianw

I'm curious what difference does it make?

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Not sure. It's just the OP referred to his as a JLC and when I looked at mine, it just says LeCoultre (as indeed does his apparently) I know that the watches were often branded LeCoulre in the United States and Jaeger LeCoultre here, but don't know if that has any relevance here.

A rainy afternoon close-up of mine:



http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...psvhq8vi0x.jpg

Great thread. It took me back in time... Remembered my nan and mum and dad had a clock you could watch moving in the room. They were not expensive but great to look at. Where did they all go? Many thanks.

I've hankered after one for years, but never had the right place to put one. Having moved house recently, I have a couple of ideal spots but no money. Sods law...

Geronimo - I'd love to see your place if you have decent clocks strewn about. My clock collection is limited to a Metamec Sunburst clock which my wife hates with a passion.

I've wanted one of these for years. One day, one day.............

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Originally Posted by subseastu

I've wanted one of these for years. One day, one day.............

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I nearly bought the 1969 one currently on eBay (birth year for me). It was serviced by Eric last year and is a good clock (according to him). However, it has lost most of its gilting and appears a little dull as a result. Still, there is a deal to be done there I think.

This is the one I have.
http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/...b5736a58b0.jpg

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Originally Posted by Jeff wilson

This is the one I have.
http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/...b5736a58b0.jpg

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I love the blue dial. What year is that from?

Beautiful and the mechanisms look wonderful indeed.

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Originally Posted by jpjsavage

I nearly bought the 1969 one currently on eBay (birth year for me). It was serviced by Eric last year and is a good clock (according to him). However, it has lost most of its gilting and appears a little dull as a result. Still, there is a deal to be done there I think.

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Is that the one on his website for £999?

It was a retirement gift for my uncle I think it was 1984.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/...99b9629864.jpg

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Originally Posted by jpjsavage

I love the blue dial. What year is that from?

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Fantastic! Since I bought my JLC Deep Sea Chronograph nd hardly take it of my wrist my interest in JLC has spiked. I would love to own an Atmos, cool stuff!

I got one too a year ago that was broken and some corrosion at the dial.

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/atmos.jpg

With box.

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/atmosb1.jpg

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/atmosb2.jpg

And papers.

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/atmosman.jpg

Now fully serviced and painted dial, works like a charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVcAvSbUEa8

Is mine the only one with Roman numerals ?